Swinging half axle for vehicles



y 1935. J. ZU BATY 2,007,670

- SWINGING HALF AXLE FOR, VEHICLES Filed Sept: 13, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 t? 7L k INVENTOR;

dose/uh Zubag U W VW ATTORNEYS.

J. zuBA Y SWINGING HALF AXLE FOR VEHICLES July -9, 935.

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. l3, 1933 INVENTOR. c/oseph Z ubay ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 9 1935;

TE- I T ATE OFF-I E Application September 13,1933,serial nolssasza ,In Czechoslovakia September 20,1932 r v I t t, 16 Claims. My invention relates. to improvements .in swinging half axles or, as theyare commonly termed, independently sprung axles for motor 5 hinge'mounting of-.;said axles and particularly where embodied in a driven axle assembly.' In

the illustrative embodiment of my invention here disclosed it is shown as applied to a. driven axle assembly, 1 v 1 An object isto providesuch an axleof simple, sturdy, and inexpensive construction, the moving partsof the driven axle of which are completely enclosed, and to provide a construction of this a character wherein the maximumradius of swingl5 tithe-longitudinalcenterline of -the car ;or the axis of the drive-or. propeller. shaft. Byso'doing' I am able to; disposethe moving partsaSsOciated ,f. with the swingingsupportof the live half axle,

including its hinge "supper, j'within the driving protected, and lubricated Y v To'increase' the radius of swinging movement, [it is desirable 'to locate the point about which the stub axle swings as closeto the longitudinal centerline of the car'as is p ossible. To mount it exactly onthis centerline complicates thedriv'irig gmechanism or requires unusually. large hearings to surround the driving meehanism or. casing, and a novel characteristic of;myimprovement is that the pivot mounting for thelaxle tube, within 35 the axis oi-which the hinge joint ofthe live half axle is disposed, is so {arranged as "to bring said .hi'nge joint close tothe car centernne." The cori- '-str uction is suchas, to bere'adi ly.,adaptable for 'use'withlvarious conventionalf desig'ns'.

sists 'in providing two spacedapart trunnionsfto 7 support the innerend ,of theaxle tube or casing. which encloses the live half axle, which trunnions. are so ,arrangedwith respect jtothe 'centerline as toswing aboutan axis closely adjacent thereto.-

A preferred construction isto arrange the axis 55 .The inner ends of these arms are mounted upon gear casing-where suchparts may be properly- A mcritorious feature-of myimprovementconimportant features of my invention will-more the point about which thedriving half axle. swings in close proximity to the axis ofthe driveor pro-.

trunnions. The trunnion support for the front arm is necessarily removedtransversely from the ,centerline of the car as it is-positioned outside. of I vehicles, and particularly to improvements inthe thedrive or, propeller shaft tube or casing and Y the frame member which abuts the same. The 5 rear arm is supported upon a trunnion which may be located closer to the car centerline. The two trunnions are therefore". obliquely disposed and the-point of swing of the driving halfflaxle'islocated on the axis of such trunnlons and therefore 10 nearer to the car centerline than is the front trunnionand. than would bethe case if the rear trunnion were located the same distance from the carcenterline as the front trunnion, A ,characteristicof my trunnion supports for the inner end of the stub axle casing is thatsilent and resilient trunnion bearing blocksare provided which eliminate the necessity of lubrication .atusuch points and which possess the additional advantages of permitting movement that assists not, only the vertical swinging of the stub axles 'buta fore and aft movement and improves the spring suspension characteristics. These yielding deformable blocks also serve to compensate for any misalignmentwhich might occur. due to theuniversal joint being out of line with the prolonged axis of the two trunnions. A'feature of importanceis thatthe final driving gear 'f or .the driven. half axle provided with axially. elongated .hollow. hub within 30 whiclr'is located. the universalzjoint that supports the inner en'd'of t-he' stub axle and this entire mg. M

An'additional feature is that I provide novel and simple "means for preventing leakage of lubricant outwardly fromthe gearcasing and seaY-th'e inner end of the'stub-axle tubeor-casing.

In the several figures of the drawings 1 have Q1 illustrated different designs which permit the accomplishment of certain desiredobjects of my "assembly is locatedwithin the drivinggear casv "improvement with different types of axle drive gearing. Various other objects, advantages, and

. 5 fullyappear from the following description, am.

pen'ded claims, and accompan ing' drawings;

wherein? f Q Figure {illustrates a improved swinging ha] ingyf' j.

Fi ur 2 'prese ss section-through my leshowing its "mountdification of the construction shown in Figured; v

Figure. 3 is a plan of afragment of a swing axle assembly wherein the gear casing is broken housing 20 as shown.

away to illustrate the connection of the live axle therewith,

Figure 4 is an elevation of the construction shown in Figure 3 taken on a line transversely through one of the'half axles,

Figure 5 is an elevation taken on the same line as Figure 4 showing the modified form of construction,

Figure 6 is an elevation taken on the same line as Figure 4 showing a second modified form of construction, and V Figure 7 is a sectional view through one of the trunnions which support the axle tube.

In the drawings, ll indicates the propeller or drive shaft provided with a drive pinion l2 and bearing supports I4. The drive pinion l2 meshes with and drives the ring gear I. of the drive gearing. The driving gear casing is indicated as II and is supported within housing II upon the bearing 22 as shown most clearly in Figures 1 and 2.

The differential pinions or gears 24 are mounted upon a spindle 28 and drive the final drive gear 2!. Through this ilnal'drive gear the stub axle 30 is driven. In Figure l of the drawings one-half of the mechanism only is shown and only one of the swinging or oscillating stub or half axles with its surrounding axle tube is shown, but it is well understood that the other half of the mechanism is of the same construction and is complementary thereto. Figures 2 and 3 show two half axles.

The final drive gear 2| is provided with'an axially elongated hub 29 which is hollow and is of sufllcient diameter to receive therein the universal joint which supports the inner end of the driving stub axle 30 for driving and swinging movement. This hub is forked by grooves milled thereinp'In these grooves the universal joint 46 provided with ball shaped bearings and prismatic blocks 48 are mounted. This joint forms the pivot about which the stub axle swings. The hub is forkedby'grooves as shown and described and the free ends are braced with a retaining ring 50.

Inthe independent spring suspension of the wheels of a motor vehicle the stub or half axles are supported for swinging movement whereby each stub axle may'swing independently of the other. The advantages of thistype of construction are too wellknown to need citation. The stub axle .30, as here shown, is provided with the'usual axle tube 32. The inner-end of the axle tube issupported by a fork; The two arms 84 of the fork are journalled upon front and rear trunnions 36 and 38 respectively. In Figure 1 the front trunnion is mounted upon a bracket 40, which bracket is secured to the frame-member 42 which frame'member lies alongside of and is secured to the drive shaft casing 44. The

rear trunnion 38 is carried bythe driving gear In a construction of this type it is apparent that the front trunnion I. can not be brought closer to the centerline of the .car or to the axis ofthe drive shaft ll, which substantially corresponds with suchcenterline, than is permitted by the propeller shaft casing without departing from the simplicity of the design shown.

Due to the oblique arrangement of the two trunnions, however, the rear trunnion is drawn in much closer to such centerline. By bringing the rear trunnion in close to thecar centerline the universal Joint 46, which is disposed on the prolonged axis of the two trunnions 34 and II, is

likewise drawn in substantially closer to the axis of the drive shaft or the car centerline than would otherwise be the case. It is also brought within the gear casing where it is protected and where it may be properly lubricated.

This universal joint may be brought in even closer to the car centerline or to the axis of the drive shaft, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings,

by mounting the two rear arms of the two forks of the complementary swinging half axles upon the same trunnion or bearing at the rear of the housing 20. In this construction the details of mounting the half axles are similar to that of Figure 1. The two constructions differ in that in the structure of Figure 2 the rear arm 34 of each axle tube 32 is extended to a greater length than the front arm and is mounted upon a spherical support 35 at the rear of the gear casing substantially on a line with the centerline of the car, which in each case is indicated by the dotted line :c-z. The axis of swing ng movement of the two arms 'of the axle tube is on a line with the center of the universal joint 40 and is arranged diagonally with respect to the centerline of the vehicle so as to bring the pivot of the half axle close to the centerline of the vehicle.

The trunnions I! and (Figure 1) are each provided with a silent block 31 of suitable resilient yielding'material, such as rubber, which eliminates the necessity for lubrication and also permits a certain amount of lore and aft movement at such point and assists in the vertical swinging movement of the half axle thereby adding to the desirable spring suspension characteristics. These silent blocks serve another importantpurpose in that should there be any misalignment of the universal joint with respect to the prolonged axis of the two trunnions this would be compensated for by the compressibiilty of the blocks. This rubber blockil, as shown in Figures 2 and '7, is secured between inner and outer metal bushings 39 which are secured to the trunnion and fork end respectively so that the rubber block 31 is distorted by the swinging of the axle assembly. I

There is also provided a suitable lubricating retaining member in the form of a tubular stamping I! which is flanged outwardly at I4 at its inner end. It is provided at such inner end with an interiorly spherical face adapted to form a close contact with acorresponding face 56 formed upon the housing 20 so as to form a close contact therewith. The flanged end is provided with a recess ll within which is disposed a suitable washer ll, (note Figures 1, 2, and 3).

The'tubular portion of this member I is received within the axle tube 32 as shown. It is provided with a channel portion 2 within which is mounted a packing ring 64. An expansion spring 66 is shown which urges the tubular stamping against the gear casing. The washer or packing members 00 and 84 in conjunction with the stamping itself prevent the lubricant which flows outwardly through the large opening in the easing 20 through which the stub axle passes from passing outwardly between the casing 20 and the inner end of the axle tube 22.

In Figures 3 and 4 the gear casing is provided on opposite sides with two spaced apart brackets 68 which serve to support thearms 34 of the axle tube 32. The arms 34 are trunnioned upon said brackets 40 upon resiilent silient blocks 31 as indicated particularly in Figure 7 and as heretofore described in the case of Figures 1 and 2. In the construction shown in Figures 3 and 4 the axis of swing is in the same plane as the drive shaft ill and parallel -thereto. The connection between "the'inner end of the live half axle through the are positioned above suchshaft. In this construction the drive shaft is coupled'with the drive gearing through a worm drive;

In the construction shown in Figure 6=there is represented: a 'gear casing 20 wherein is located I hypoid drivegears of conventional design. 1: In this constructions compact andxunitary assembly is provided through arranging :the axis of i swing of the half-axle diagonally with respect to the centerllne of the drlve= shaft: I0 with the forward end tilted upwardly as shown. The forward bracket is carried by the propeller shaft casing and ispositioned above the propeller shaft.- The rear bracket is considerably lower. particular arrangement possesses another advantage in that it serves to bettertake the shocks as thecar I travels over tlie road: "In'gthe several constructions silent block mountings-are provided as here-' inabove setiforthi i it I -WhatIclaim:

i '1. In'aimotor' vehiclepa half axle supported at its inner end for swingingmovement, an axle tube :enclosing the half; axle :andsupported at its inner end for swinging "movement upon, spaced apart trunnions; one trunnion being arranged substantially on the icenterline ofethe vehicle and the 1 other spaced transversely therefromh e,

2. In a motor vehicle, two half axles eachsupported at its j inner end for swinging movement upon'a universal joint,- an axle tube for each half axle provided atits inner end with two arms, one

arm being substantially longer than the other; the 40 Q ment about a pivot spaced transversely of theve shorter arm being mounted for swingingmovemole outwardly beyond said universal joint, the longer arm being mounted for swinging movement about a pivot in line with said;universal joint and the pivot of the shorter arm but; spaced inwardly thereof transversely of the vehicle.-

3. Ina motor. vehicle having a driven swinging half axle, drlve gearing,ta housingforthe gearing, said swinging half axlezextending through an enlarged opening in the housing, an axle tube having a cylindrical end portion receivedjwithin the inner end of said tube and aflaring 'hemispherical portion abutting the outer face of said housing, a packing-ringcarried by theinner face ofisaid flaring portiomand a packing ring car-,-

fried by the outer face of saidcylindrical portion, and spring means. holding said cylindrical -por-- tion against the face of said housing. a 4. In a. motor vehicle having drive gearing, a casing surrounding said gearing, a half axle coupled within said casing with said gearing through a universal joint, an axle tube enclosing,

said half axle and pivotally supported externally of said casing for swinging movement about an axis extending diagonally with respect to the centerline of the vehicle and passing substantially through said universal joint and upon a mountin'gyieldable to permit limited shifting of said ,the vehicle centerline. surroundingsaid half axle, a-lubricant retainer V it: each half axle provided with a hollow hub and a universal joint supporting the innerend of the halfjaxle interiorly of said hub, a housing surrounding said drive gearing hollow hub and axle end, and a lubricant retaining member having one end receivediwithin the inner end of the .axle tubeand theoppositeend flared outwardly and abutting-anouter face of said housing.

6.-. In a motor vehicle having a driven swinging half axle, drive gearing, a housing for, the gearing,

said swinging half axle extending through an en- 1arged opening in'the housing, an axle tube surrounding said half axle, a lubricant retainer having a cylindrical end portion received within the inner end of said tube and a flaring hemispherical portion abutting, the outer face of said housing, a

a pair of live axles eachv coupled at one end by a universal joint with the gearingwithin the casing,

,an axle tube surrounding each live axle having a forked end encompassing the casin a pair of trunnions for each axle tube arranged externally of :the casing at opposite ends thereof and adjacent .theretozjorming pivotal supports for the forked end of the axle tube,;said trunnions-so arranged that theaxis ofswing-of the tube passes through the universal joint of its live-axle and extends so diagonally with respect to the center-' line ofthe jvehicle that the universal joint through which it passes is disposed in close proximity tothe vehicle centerline.

' '8. In a; motor vehicle, drive gearing including a pair of. drive gears eachhaving a hollow hub, a

casing enclosingsaid-gearing, a pair of live axles each supported at its inner end upon auniversal joint within the hollow hub of a drive gear, an

axle tube surrounding each liveaxle and havin a forked end encompassing said casing, a pair of trunnions arranged externally-at opposite ends of. the casing supporting said axle tubeupon said forked endto swingaboutan axle extending through the universal joint of itslive axleand diagonally with respect to the vehicle centerline whereby the; universal joint of the live axle arranged therein is disposedin close proximity to 9. Inamotor vehicle, surrounding the gearing, a drive shaft extendin into onev end-ofthe casing and coupled with the gearing therein, a pair of live axles extending into .the casing from opposite sides and each coupled with the gearing therein through a universal joint,

an axletube surrounding each live axle and having a forked end embracing the casing, apair of trunnions supporting the forked end, of: each axie-tubdeach pair of trurmions so disposed upon opposite sides of the casing that the axis of swing of each tube extends through the universal joint of its live axle and diagonally with respect to the centerline of the vehicle and so that the two trunnions arranged at the end of the casing opposite to that end at which the drive shaft enters are located in substantially closer proximity to the vehicle centerline than the two trunnions arranged at the drive shaft end of the casing, and the universal joints of the live axle arranged in said axes of swing are disposed in proximity to the vehicle centerline.

10. A swinging axle assembly for a motor vehicle comprising, in combination, drive gearing, a casing enclosing said gearing and having axle drive gearing; a casing aperture through the casing and the end of the apertures on: opposite sides,'a pair or live axles each coupled through a universal Joint with the gearing within the casing and extending outwardly throughone 01' said axle apertures, an axle tube enclosing'each live axle and terminating at its inner end spaced from the casing, each tube having a fork at'its-inner end embracing the casing and supported upon a pair of trunnions arranged' externally thereof "for swinging movement about an axisextending outvoi parallelism to the centerline oi-the'vehicle and through'itne universal joints! the live axle enclosed 'tube so that the universal joint throughwhich it passes is disposed in closer proximity to the vehicle centerline than at least one of said trunnions, and means arranged between the end of the axle tube and the casing sealing the axle ii. A swinging axle assembly for a motor vehicle comprising, in combination, drive gearing, a casing enclosing said. gearingand having axle apertures on opposite sides, a pair oi live axles each coupled through a universal. joint with the gearing within the'casing and each extending outwardly through one 01' said axle apertures, an axle tube enclosing each liveaxle and terminating at its inner end spaced from the casing, each axle tube having a fork at its inner end embracing the casing and supported for swinging movement upon a'pair of trunnions arranged externally of the casing, each pair of trunnions being so arranged that the axis of swing of each tube extends through the universal joint of its live axle, and means bridging the space between the endo! e'achaxle tube and the casing sealing axle tube enclosing each live axle and having a fork at its inner end-embracing the'casi'ng and supported for swinging movement upon a .pair oi trunnions arranged externally oi the casing, each pair of trunnions being so arranged that the axis oi swing of 'each'tube extends through the universal joint of its live axle, each pair of trunnions being spaced apart" a distance substantially greater than the distance between the centerline oithe vehicle and the universal joint disposed within the axis oi swing ofthe tube supported upon said trunnions.

13. The invention defined in claim llcharacterized in that at least one trunnion of each pair includes a yieldable mounting deformable under pressure to permit universal shitting of the axis of swing of the tube within the limitation of the universal'Joint through which it passes.

14. A swinging axle assembly for a motor vehicle, comprising-driving gear mounted in a carrierenclosed in a-housing, a'pair oflive axles extending through apertures in the housing and connected to the carrier by universal ioints disposed within the housing, axle tubes surrounding the live axles and providing with forked ends 'pivotally: mounted externally of. the housing on axes which pass through the centres of the universa'l Jointm'and means arranged between the ends or theaxletubes and the housing to seal the apertures in the latter through which the live axlespass. v I

v 15;. In 'a motor vehicle, drive gearing, a casing surrounding said gearing, a halt axle pivotally coupled with the'gearing within the casing, an axle tube surrounding said hal! axle, said axle tubeterminating at its'inner end spaced from the casing, means-supporting saidaxle tube upon the casing for swinging movement, and .a lubricant retainer having a cylindrical portion at one end telescopically received within the inner end of the axle tube, oil. sealing means between the cylindrical portion oi the lubricant retainer and the inner wall -:the axle tube, said retainer having a daring 'portion at the opposite end engaging the casing and shiitable thereover, oil retaining means between the flaring portion of the lubricant retainer and the gear casing wall, said retainer bridging the space between .the inner end' or the axle tube and thecasing sealing the axle opening'through the casing wall and therend lubricant'retainer for each axle tube having a said retainer having a channel formed in its flared portion, and 'a lubricant sealing element disposed within said-channel engaging the wall 0! the casing surrounding the axle aperture.

JosnPrr :ZUBATY. 

